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Toshiaki Yasuda (1912–1994)
IN
MEMORIAM Toshiaki Yasuda (1912-1994) Steven D. Emmet, MD Solana Beach, California
On Feb. 6, 1994, at the age of 82, Toshiaki Yasuda passed away after a brief illness. He played a pivotal role in establishing the nature of dermatology in Japan since World War II. Born in a small town in northern Japan, on the island of Hokkaido , Dr. Yasuda soon moved to another small town, Kagoshima, in the south of J apan on the island of Kyushu . His teachers soon realized that this intense young man was of unparalleled talent and encouraged him to apply to the most prestigious and difficult-to-enter university in Japan, the Imperial University of Tokyo, now known as Tokyo University. He graduated from Tokyo University Medical School in 1938 and immediately began his training in dermatology at his alma mater. When asked why he chose dermatology, Dr. Yasuda's reply was that he was tremendousl y influenced by Dr. Ota (of nevus of Ota fame) , who was not only a brilliant dermatologist but also an urbane and literate gentleman. (Please read Dr. Yasuda's autobiography in this JOURNAL [ 1981;5(Oct):503-6]; as it is in his own words, it gives special insight into both his background and personality.) During the war, although declared physically unfit for military service, he worked for some time at the Dojinkai Hospital in Beijing, China. There, as would be his pattern for the future, he made many friends; despite political hardships, these friendships would last through the decades. As a result of these ties, he was able to help establish a series of joint Chinese-Japanese dermatology meetings, and in 1992 he became an honorary member of the Chinese Medical Association . In 1944 he returned as an instructor in dermatology at Tokyo University Hospital and, in 1945, was awarded both a Doctorate in Medicine and the Sakaguchi Prize, which, stemming from the original joint urology-derm atology training of that From the Department of Derma tology, University of Cal ifornia. Reprints not availabl e from authur.
J AM ACAD DERMATOL 1994;31 :823-4. Copyright (e) 1994 by the Americ an Academy of Dermatol ogy, Inc.
0190-9622/94 $3.00 + 0 ]6/1/58768
Toshiaki Yasuda
era, was in urology! While there, in traditional Japanese fashion, it was arranged that he meet a young lady, His ako Kusunoki, the daughter of a physician, with whom he soon fell in love and married. He soon became Chief of Dermatology first at the Komagorne Hospital and then at the Kanto Teishin Hospital, both in Tokyo; in 1968 he became the Professor of Dermatology at Toho University, also in Tokyo. In 1978 he "retired" to become a visiting lecturer, of professorial rank, in dermatology at Kitazato University, near Tokyo. During the 1960s and 1970s Dr. Yasuda wrote articles and gave speeches at international conferences on a wide variety of subjects, including psoriasis, mastocytosis, eccrine paroma, and clinical investigations into the use of topical corticosteroids. He also began several endeavors that would change the face of dermatology throughout Japan. He became the first physician who was not Professor of
823
824 Emmet
Dermatology at Tokyo University to become head of the Japanese Dermatological Association (1-9681978) and a founder of the Japanese Society ofPediatric Dermatology and a member ofthe board of, among others, the Japanese Allergy Association, Japanese Association of Clinical Therapy, and the Japanese Society of Investigative Dermatology. As early as the 1960s he began to promote continuing medical education and true specialty certification for dermatologists in Japan. Finally, in 1993, for the first time, specialty examinations were given to graduating dermatology residents throughout Japan. In addition, he became a nonresident member of the American Academy of Dermatology and an International Honorary Member of the American Dermatology Association. Dr. Yasuda visited the United States for the first time in 1962, where he spoke at the Twelfth International Congress of Dermatology, in Washington, D.C. During the ensuing years, although his English was at best passable, somehow he made lasting
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology November 1994
friends with Drs. Sulzberger, Pass, Lobitz, Kierland, Baer, Lever, Pinkus, H. Blank, Winkelmann, Calnan, Braun-Falco, Fitzpatrick, Lerner, AsboeHansen, Strauss, Dobson, Farber, and Goltz, to name a few. At his request, many of these physicians came to speak in Japan. Once again, through the strength of his personality and with the help of these friends, it was finally arranged for the 1982 meeting of the International Congress of Dermatology to be held in Japan. Dr. Yasuda leaveshis wife, Hisako, two brothers, a sister, and three children, one of whom lives in the Los Angeles area. However, he liveson in the hearts of men and women throughout Japan and the world. Continuing medical education, specialty examinations, the closer relationships between university dermatologists and international and Japanese dermatologists, as well as many groups, journals, and clubs all owe much to Dr. Yasuda. To me, he is truly the father of modern Japanese dermatology.
MEMORIAM Toshiaki Yasuda (1912-1994) Steven D. Emmet, MD Solana Beach, California
On Feb. 6, 1994, at the age of 82, Toshiaki Yasuda passed away after a brief illness. He played a pivotal role in establishing the nature of dermatology in Japan since World War II. Born in a small town in northern Japan, on the island of Hokkaido , Dr. Yasuda soon moved to another small town, Kagoshima, in the south of J apan on the island of Kyushu . His teachers soon realized that this intense young man was of unparalleled talent and encouraged him to apply to the most prestigious and difficult-to-enter university in Japan, the Imperial University of Tokyo, now known as Tokyo University. He graduated from Tokyo University Medical School in 1938 and immediately began his training in dermatology at his alma mater. When asked why he chose dermatology, Dr. Yasuda's reply was that he was tremendousl y influenced by Dr. Ota (of nevus of Ota fame) , who was not only a brilliant dermatologist but also an urbane and literate gentleman. (Please read Dr. Yasuda's autobiography in this JOURNAL [ 1981;5(Oct):503-6]; as it is in his own words, it gives special insight into both his background and personality.) During the war, although declared physically unfit for military service, he worked for some time at the Dojinkai Hospital in Beijing, China. There, as would be his pattern for the future, he made many friends; despite political hardships, these friendships would last through the decades. As a result of these ties, he was able to help establish a series of joint Chinese-Japanese dermatology meetings, and in 1992 he became an honorary member of the Chinese Medical Association . In 1944 he returned as an instructor in dermatology at Tokyo University Hospital and, in 1945, was awarded both a Doctorate in Medicine and the Sakaguchi Prize, which, stemming from the original joint urology-derm atology training of that From the Department of Derma tology, University of Cal ifornia. Reprints not availabl e from authur.
J AM ACAD DERMATOL 1994;31 :823-4. Copyright (e) 1994 by the Americ an Academy of Dermatol ogy, Inc.
0190-9622/94 $3.00 + 0 ]6/1/58768
Toshiaki Yasuda
era, was in urology! While there, in traditional Japanese fashion, it was arranged that he meet a young lady, His ako Kusunoki, the daughter of a physician, with whom he soon fell in love and married. He soon became Chief of Dermatology first at the Komagorne Hospital and then at the Kanto Teishin Hospital, both in Tokyo; in 1968 he became the Professor of Dermatology at Toho University, also in Tokyo. In 1978 he "retired" to become a visiting lecturer, of professorial rank, in dermatology at Kitazato University, near Tokyo. During the 1960s and 1970s Dr. Yasuda wrote articles and gave speeches at international conferences on a wide variety of subjects, including psoriasis, mastocytosis, eccrine paroma, and clinical investigations into the use of topical corticosteroids. He also began several endeavors that would change the face of dermatology throughout Japan. He became the first physician who was not Professor of
823
824 Emmet
Dermatology at Tokyo University to become head of the Japanese Dermatological Association (1-9681978) and a founder of the Japanese Society ofPediatric Dermatology and a member ofthe board of, among others, the Japanese Allergy Association, Japanese Association of Clinical Therapy, and the Japanese Society of Investigative Dermatology. As early as the 1960s he began to promote continuing medical education and true specialty certification for dermatologists in Japan. Finally, in 1993, for the first time, specialty examinations were given to graduating dermatology residents throughout Japan. In addition, he became a nonresident member of the American Academy of Dermatology and an International Honorary Member of the American Dermatology Association. Dr. Yasuda visited the United States for the first time in 1962, where he spoke at the Twelfth International Congress of Dermatology, in Washington, D.C. During the ensuing years, although his English was at best passable, somehow he made lasting
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology November 1994
friends with Drs. Sulzberger, Pass, Lobitz, Kierland, Baer, Lever, Pinkus, H. Blank, Winkelmann, Calnan, Braun-Falco, Fitzpatrick, Lerner, AsboeHansen, Strauss, Dobson, Farber, and Goltz, to name a few. At his request, many of these physicians came to speak in Japan. Once again, through the strength of his personality and with the help of these friends, it was finally arranged for the 1982 meeting of the International Congress of Dermatology to be held in Japan. Dr. Yasuda leaveshis wife, Hisako, two brothers, a sister, and three children, one of whom lives in the Los Angeles area. However, he liveson in the hearts of men and women throughout Japan and the world. Continuing medical education, specialty examinations, the closer relationships between university dermatologists and international and Japanese dermatologists, as well as many groups, journals, and clubs all owe much to Dr. Yasuda. To me, he is truly the father of modern Japanese dermatology.